This bill mandates that each county in New Hampshire must have at least one state trooper and one deputy sheriff trained in animal cruelty investigations, specifically under RSA 644:8. The new legal language inserted into RSA 106-B establishes a section that requires the commissioner of the Department of Safety to ensure the presence of a trained state trooper in every county, while a similar provision is added to RSA 104 for deputy sheriffs. Both officers will receive training through a course at the New Hampshire police training facility and will be equipped to assist local law enforcement agencies with animal cruelty investigations.

The bill does not allocate specific funding for the training but estimates that the costs could range from $10,000 to $100,000 annually, depending on the expenses incurred by the Police Standards and Training Council (PSTC) in developing and delivering the training. Currently, police recruits receive minimal instruction on animal cruelty, and this bill aims to enhance that training by collaborating with various stakeholders, including the Department of Agriculture and local prosecuting attorneys. The effective date of the act is set for 60 days after its passage.